This is my fifth time in Tokyo, but I am still a little confused about Tokyo transportation. Firstly, the Tokyo railway network is too complicated. Secondly, I am not a budget-conscious person. It has always been my habit to buy tickets wherever I want to go. So every time I arrive at the airport, I usually walk to the Skyliner service counter on the B2 floor, buy skyliner ticket and that is.
The staff in customer services will show you a price list and there are 2 options. "Skyliner" - in Blue, fast and expensive train. "Skyacess" - in Orange, relatively cheap but slower. We normally chose the blue one to get rid of any delay.
Regard to Tokyo Transportation, there are many many blogger or KOL from Taiwan and Hong Kong. They will prepare a comprehensive package for dummies, but for me the information is too much for me to remember or understand. Therefore, I have prepared a simple one, not professional enough but may be a reference for first time Tokyo visitors, or a person looking for simple.
When we just got off the plane, we saw that the service counter was crowded with people, so we decided to use Suica card directly and wait for the SkyAccess Express.
(For Skyacess, this can be paid by Suica Card, but it is necessary to have ticket for Skyliner, Don't do this if you're in a hurry as Skyliner 99% will be faster than SkyAccess.)
（I still have Suica Card on hand and my dear use Suica Apps. It is recommended to prepare before you go to Japan.)
Skyliner and SkyAccess share the same platform. We arrived at the platform at around 19:00, and the platform staff guide the passengers without Skyliner tickets to "stand aside" because the two trains that were about to arrive were Skyliner. Passengers planning to take Access train have to wait for the 19:26 regular train.
(I check the information later and found out that it is possible to buy SKYLINER tickets via the ticket machine on the platform, but I didn't try.)
When taking the SKYLINER or ACCESS, it is important to read the timetable and don't be intimidated by various colours and unknown Japanese.
(The above timetable is a screenshot from the Internet)
I see the train timetable when I come is as follow:
19:05 SKYLINER
19:18 SKYLINER
19:27 ACCESS
We took the 19:27 ACCESS. If we were willing to queue up in customer services and buy a SKYLINER, we might be able to catch the 19:18 Skyliner train.
Simply speaking, when you arrive at the airport, the first train to Ueno from Platform 1 may be the Skyliner or the Access. If next train arrived at the platform is Skyaccess, you can go on the platform by Suica Card and get on the train immediately. The arrival time will be almost the same as the arrival time of the next SKYLINER, so it may be better to check the timetable before deciding which one to take.
The ACCESS fare is much cheaper, but when we got on the train at terminal 2, there was no available seat left as the train come from Terminal 1. It was a bad experience to stand in the carriage for this 1-hour journey.
This is the picture I take before I got off the train in Ueno. I have stood for 30 minutes before I got a seat. It is an important reminder for those tourist arrive Tokyo at terminal 2.
It took nearly an hour from NRT airport to Keijo Ueno Station by SkyAccess, which is just opposite to the Ueno JR Station.
I will try to talk about the difference between the Skyliner and SkyAccess according to my experience.
Skyliner
- Fast, around 40 min
- More expensive
- All reserved seats (If you have tickets, you must have seat. But the tickets can be sold out during peak hours.)
- The area for putting luggage is big. More convenient.
- Discount provided in presales platform
- Have to wait for the queue to buy if you have no purchase online in advance.
- More frequent, around 3 per hour
- When the flight arrival and customs clearance time are uncertain, the time of reserved ticket may be too early or too late, so it is estimated that many passengers prefer buying tickets immediately after arriving at the airport. (However, as I understand that it can be modified once at the train service center.
(I have an experience to buy airport express ticket online when I visit Osaka in 2023. Unfortunately the earliest 2 express was full when I arrived OSA airport, so finally I have paid premium express fee but go to Osaka Central by normal train.)
特急 SkyAccess
- Transportation time 15-30 minutes more than Skyliner.
- Cheaper
- No Reserved Seats. You need to stand when there are many people. But the advantage is that you can definitely get on the train.
- Ticket is not necessary if you have Suica Card.
- Less Frequent Train
"It's better to take the SKYLINERS when we go back." This is what my wife thought. At night, the SKYLINER TICKET COUNTER at Keijo Ueno Station was closed, but the ticket machine selling EXPRESS TICKET was easy to use.
We stayed in the hotel nearby Keijo Ueno Station, so we planned to come back in the morning on the day of our departure for buying the tickets.
Therefore, if you look for the easiest way to get in and out of the airport, Ueno is the best choice.
There are many mass railway transportation service providers, but currently I will take 2 mainly - one is JR - the company that provide NEX express, and Tokyo Metro, the company that have cooperation with Keisei Skyliner/Access.
"The JR Tokyo Wide 3 Day Pass" are highly recommended by many travel experts, it allows unlimited use of JR in eastern Japan for three days. These also include the transportation between Tokyo/Ueno to Kawaguchiko/Karuizawa, and also the NEX express line from Tokyo to the airport.
I calculated that the Tokyo Wide Pass costs 15,000 YEN. A round trip ticket to Karuizawa for a designated seat is around 12,000 YEN, and with NEX from Tokyo to Airport, it is definitely worth to buy. If you plan your tour to Karuizawa and back on Day 1 then go to Kawaguchiko on Day 2 and back to Tokyo on Day 3, you can save a lot transportation cost by buying 3-days pass.
However, apart from going to Karuizawa, we did not take NEX to and from the airport, and I guessed that I will only take JR once or twice during the trip, so we did not purchase it.
Another popular day pass is the "Keisei Skyliner + Tokyo Metro Package", which offers a discounted round-trip ticket to the airport plus 72 hours of unlimited rides on the Tokyo Metro (approximately 5,600 YEN). However, the overall transportation in the three days for us is limited, so I didn't buy it finally.
SKYACCESS, 8:40 PM - Arrived at Keijo Ueno Station, we dragged our luggage through Ameyoko, where was full of cheering sound, and our journey - still have 70 hours left.
The following is an article written by a travel expert, which explains it much more clearly than I could. So let me share this as below. (in Chinese)
https://finduheart.com/skyliner
Coming Chapter: Tokyo Again 2025 (3): APA Hotel Ueno Ekimae
Tokyo Again 2025
Tokyo Again 2025(1) - 72 hours of traveling in Tokyo (3 -days Itinerary plan, plus 7-days in 2024)
Tokyo 2024
Tokyo 2024 - 7 days itinerary (Family of 4 - Attractions and Shopping Experience)
Disney Sea Tokyo 1 - Basic Information and Tips for your journey
Dinery Sea Tokyo 3 - Busy Second Half Having fun (Peter Pan / Toy Story Mania)
The Making of Harry Potter (Tokyo)
Hotel in Ikebukuro (Hotel Hisoca Ikebukuro)
USJ Osaka 2023
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 1 - Basic Information and Some Tips for your journey
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 2 - Preparation with Kids
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) Part 6 - Harry Porter and His Magic Wand
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) Part 7 - Our Forbidden Journey
Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 8 - Universal Wonderland and Others
Those below are articles about Japan Visit, written in Chinese. Please feel free to leave your comments or questions. I am glad to reply and give advice according to my limited experience.
2024 Tokyo
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七年無事又東京（五）迪士尼海洋Disneysea1 - 簡單易明基本概念及小提議
七年無事又東京（六）迪士尼海洋Disneysea2 忙於操作的上半場（驚魂古塔 / 地心探險記 / 樂佩公主天燈盛會）
七年無事又東京（七）迪士尼海洋Disneysea3 總動員的下半場
七年無事又東京（十）天旋地轉與膽量挑戰 (台場Joypolis1F）
七年同事有東京（十一）動感（台場Joypolis 2F - VR, House of the Dead, Transformer）
七年無事又東京（十二）獻出心臟"爸"！（台場Joypolis 3F - 進擊的巨人 + 全日通結算 + 輕鬆推介）
七年無事又東京（十三）雨中的陽光（池袋Sunshine City）
七年無事又東京（十四）池袋的超強CP值酒店（Hotel Hisoca 池袋 - 有片）
七年無事又東京（十五）與機場進餐（Marroad Hotel International)
七年無事又東京（十六）最後分組活動（酒酒井OUTLET / 成田機場T2)
七年無事又東京（十七）東京遊2024 總結 + 後記 （各景點評分）
2023 Osaka
2019 Kyushu Self-Driving Tour
九州日誌（二）互動（九州野生動物園 / Hello Kitty Harmony Land )
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九州日誌(七) - 天地（天神地下街 / MARK IS......)
2018 - Okinawa Self-Driving Tour
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(二） Day1,2,3 沒有浪花的季節 (谷茶灣Rizzan海洋公園酒店)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(三） Day 2 「魚」出驚人 (沖繩美麗海水族館 + 大家 + 水果樂園 + 萬座毛)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(四） Day 3 在水中央 (海中展望塔 + 伊波公園 )
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(五） Day 4 雨程 (琉球之牛，Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(六）- Day 5-1 與小象的約會 (沖繩動物王國)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(七）- Day 5-2 沖繩最強「浦」點 （浦添大公園 - 有片 + 美國村）
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(八）- Day 6-1 人人彈起（中城公園)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(九）- Day 6-2 Round 1 Fight!!（Round 1 Stadium)
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(十）- Day 7-1 最後的公園（國際通 + 第一牧志市場 + 奧武山公園）
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(十一）- Day 7-2 「瀨」住唔走 （瀨長島溫泉酒店）
自駕衝衝沖繩之旅(十二）- Day 8 來去沖沖 (ASHIBINAA OUTLET + 給自駕者的話)
2017 - Yokohama and Tokyo
「橫東」直撞七天遊二 (Day 2-1) - 全包宴 (橫濱麵包超人館)
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